Sunday, September 23, 2007

Vietnam - Singapore from both inside views

How to buy a Vietnamese girl?


Few days ago, I guided some friends from Singapore to go around Ho Chi Minh city. Actually they are friends of my niece. Two of them are Nanyang Technology University's students studying journalism and the last one is a journalist from The Strait Times - the most popular newspaper in Singapore. They've come to Vietnam to do research for their thesis: The social issue of getting married with foreigners of Vietnamese girls (of course specially with Singaporean men) .

You might already know about this story, there are so many match-making agencies now in Singpore to help old Singaporean men to" own" Vietnamese brides. These men are approximately 40-50 years old. They are poor, old... and not "qualified" to sucessfully seduce Singaporean girls whose ages to get married become over 30 to pursue their career and enjoying their freedom life. My three Sing visitors already surveyed their countrymen in the above agencies for few months before this Vietnam trip.

I asked them if they find out what is the crucial reason to cause Vietnamese girls want to live together with strange people from a farway country. Few answers were provided but it can be understood that they assumed Viet's girls are too poor and try to turn over a new leaf or help their families to get rich by this way. I agreed with them this point but also gave them my voice of reason: we have to see the whole picture in combination with the whole social background. From my point of view: Vietnamese girls in this case mostly from Southwest provinces where have the lowest education in Vietnam (I read this info somewhere) and they're not from the poorest area of Vietnam (the poorest zone of Vietnam might be the Middle) . So poverty is neither crime nor the excuse.

***
One more story


Few days ago too, Tuoi Tre newspaper - the fellow of The Strait Times but in Vietnam - published a report about Singapore governmen. This report completely praised Sing administration as well as Mr Lee Kuan Yew (Ly' Quang Die^.u) - former Singapore Prime Minister. So I questioned my Sing friends what they think about their previous country leader. Some of their original words in criticized voice: "He is not the right person now" (I learn it: "Ông ấy đã hết thời rồi" ) and "He think he know a lot" ("Ông ta nghĩ rằng ông ta biết mọi thứ") .

They seem not admire
Lee Kuan Yew at all. From their saying, I realized Sing goverment is family-based (gia đình trị), it's also a good place for nation leaders and their relatives to reside. You can argue that this is just one group's opinion, but I did ask the same question to a Singaporean who is working for a Sing government department in my trip to Sing last year and received the same tone. It might be "Bụt chùa nhà không thiêng" (I dont have info to jot down this proverb in English, if anyone know pls tell me) . Sing gov could be not as good as what we think, but it's a thing we can not deny: their outcome is excellent.



10 Comments:

meo con said...

Your essay is so great, but i note one more point: The social issue of getting married with foreigners of Vietnamese girls (not only Singporean but also Tawainese, Korean...)

Dê_Con_Gà_Con said...

This's a political Subject SF oi....

SF++ said...

@meo con: yep, you're right.

@Le H: I don't like politics so I consider these stories as social issues.

@ngondn: I guest few of "excellent politicians" will come from your generation :))

Ngôn Action++ said...

Most of politicians who are owning the country want to control it forever. They are extremely true for Asia countries like Vietnam and Singapore, I think. And the country outcome will depend on their ability. Lee Kuan Yew is an outstanding person, and easily make Singapore become a rich country. I always wonder when Vietnam has a excelent politician like him @_@

greenpear said...

well, your english is improved!!! i think i should write in English more often, otherwise oneday i can not write as good as you can :)

SF++ said...

@greenpear: well, let's try :)

KISSTI said...

I've got some ridiculous stories about this topic. Hope for a chance to share with you when I come back (just some more weeks). Cheers!

SF++ said...

@KISSTI: waiting to see you and your ridiculous stories!

said...

ak ak, SF, I want to look for a Singaporean man, who is not too old, poor and ugly :)) Can u help me?

Eva said...

Tel them don't waste time to investigate and find reasons, it's nature

The trend, sad but true, let us see that poor, disable men looking for wife who is financial dependent, illiterate (they r not rich, not well educated for sure). It's nature because everyone has the right and desire to find his/her mate, it's nature they are "not qualified in his society, so they're looking for help (matching agencies).

The true problem is:

Matching agencies didn't help them to get to know each other, instead, they earn money from them.

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